Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Power Back Diets--
Power Back Diet
Diet Nutrition Summary
John Underwood American Athletic Institute
WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY IS WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT OF IT…
Research has shown that practicing proper methods of weight control is essential to maximizing
your athletic performance. Peak physical performance can only occur when the body is supplied
with an adequate amount of essential nutrients. Using improper methods of weight control will
decrease your level of performance. The Wrestler's Diet provides the necessary information to
help you achieve the highest level of performance possible. The psychological advantages of
maintaining good nutritional practices are great: you'll wrestle better if you feel good physically
and mentally. You will also wrestle better knowing that you have done everything possible to be
at your best.
Peak physical performance can only occur when the body is supplied with an adequate amount
of essential nutrients. Using improper methods of weight control will decrease your level of
performance.
It must also be noted that athletes must take some food into the body every four hours. This
prevents low blood glucose levels which in turn reduce cortisol, the stress hormone from being
released, which is responsible for tearing down muscle capacity.
You cannot run on empty. A hand full of raisins or a couple bites of a power bar or a few sips of
watered down Gatorade or fruit drink can keep you blood glucose level up and you alert and
physically responsive. You cannot train or compete at optimal levels with low blood glucose
levels. Remember your brain and your muscles run off the blood glucose levels.
Menus for Healthy Living
Want to know exactly what to eat? The following menus each contain between 1,500 and 1,800
calories and are designed around food-group servings from USDA's Food Pyramid. Use these
menus as a guide to developing your own menus, substituting equivalent amounts of your
favorite foods from within the same food group whenever you like. Vegetarians can easily
substitute such meat and dairy alternatives as tofu and beans for protein, and calcium-fortified
soy milk and soy milk products for the dairy category.
In order for families to realize what foods and dietary options are necessary for proper nutrition
here are some suggestions:
MENU 1
Breakfast:
1/2 cup orange juice (1 Fruit)
1 cup cooked oatmeal (2 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
3 slices (3 ounces) turkey breast (1 Meat)
2 slices whole-grain bread (2 Grain)
Fresh spinach leaves and tomato slices (1 Vegetable)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise (1 Fat)
1 apple (1 Fruit)
Afternoon Snack
1/2 cup tomato juice (1 Vegetable)
2 large rice cakes (1 Grain)
Dinner:
1 cup black bean soup(1 Meat Alternative)
1 corn tortilla, toasted (1 Grain) and topped with1 cup chopped cooked vegetables (2 Vegetable)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Jack cheese (1 Dairy)
3 fresh pineapple rings (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1 cup sugar-free, fat-free lemon yogurt (1 Dairy)
MENU 2
Breakfast:
1 cup cantaloupe or Persian melon cubes (1 Fruit)
1/2 cup bran flakes cereal (1 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
1 cup lentil soup (1 Meat alternative)
1 cup raw spinach ( Vegetable)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (Vegetable)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat salad dressing (1 Fat)
2 large or 4 small bread sticks (2 Grains)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1 cup grapes (1 Fruit)
1 slice (3/4 ounce) reduced-fat cheese (1/2 Milk product)
Dinner:
1 large flounder fillet (1 Meat) broiled with 1 teaspoon olive oil (1 Fat)
1 cup steamed broccoli spears (1 Vegetable)
1/2 small baked potato (2 Vegetable) topped with 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (1/2 Milk
product)
1/2 cup fruit salad (1 Fruit)
Snack:
3 graham cracker rectangles or 6 squares (1 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
MENU 3
Breakfast:
1/2 grapefruit (1 Fruit)
1 slice whole-grain toast (1 Grain)
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine or butter (1 Fat)
2 eggs, scrambled in nonstick skillet without fat (1 Meat)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
Pasta Salad: 1 cup cooked pasta (2 Grain) with 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese cubes (1 Milk)
1/2 cup chopped cooked vegetables (1 Vegetable)
2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing (2 Fat)
1 cup melon chunks (1 Fruit)
Snack:
4 pretzel rods (1 Bread)
1/2 cup vegetable or tomato juice (1 Vegetable)
Dinner:
3 ounces lean steak (1 Meat), sliced and wrapped in 2 fat-free flour tortillas (2 Grain) with 1/2
cup diced tomato (1 Vegetable)
1 cup raw spinach leaves (1 Vegetable)
1/2 cup red or sweet white onion slices (1 Vegetable)
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced (1 Fruit)
Snack:
2 cups air-popped popcorn (1 Grain)
MENU 4
Breakfast:
3 small pancakes (3 Grain) with 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie syrup (Free) and1 cup blueberries
(1 Fruit)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
Tuna Salad Sandwich: 2 slices whole-grain bread (2 Grain) 3 ounces water-packed tuna (1 Meat)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise (1 Fat)
Chopped, celery, lettuce leaves (Free)
1 pear (1 Fruit)
Snack:
2 large cinnamon rice cakes (1 Grain) with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 Fruit)
Dinner:
1/2 chicken breast ( 1 Meat), baked or broiled, skin removed
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (1 Grain)
1 cup steamed zucchini and carrots (2 Vegetables)
1 small roll (1 Grain)
1 tablespoon reduced calorie margarine or butter (1 Fat)
Snack:
1 cup fat-free, sugar-free hot cocoa, made with low-fat milk (1 Milk)
3 fat-free cookies (1 Grain)
MENU 5
Breakfast:
1 large bagel (2 Grain), toasted with 1 ounce reduced-fat soft cheese (1 Milk)
1 cup strawberries (1 Fruit)
Lunch:
1 cup split pea soup (1 Meat Alternative)
1 whole wheat pita pocket (2 Grain) filled with Shredded lettuce (Free)
1 ounce reduced-fat feta cheese (1 Milk)
1/2 cup chopped tomato (1 Vegetable)1 tablespoon reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing (1 Fat)
Snack:
1 peach or 1/2 cup canned peaches packed in unsweetened juice (1 Fruit)
2 gingersnaps (1 Grain)
Dinner:
3 ounces lean pork (1 Meat), stir-fried with 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, 1/2 cup onion and 1/2
cup sliced mushrooms (2 Vegetables) in 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (2 Fat)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (1 Grain)
1 cup fresh pineapple cubes or 1/2 cup canned pineapple packed in unsweetened juice (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1/2 cup low-fat frozen yogurt (1 Milk)
LOADING
Prior to a major competition the diet may increase to deliver a larger store of energy over time,
ex. A tournament or series of races like trials and finals. Below is an example of 3-day
carbohydrate loading for an endurance athlete.
DAY 1: Breakfast
Cereal, 1½ cups
Milk, low fat, 1 cup
Orange Juice, 1 cup
Roll/Toast, 1 roll / 2 pieces of toast
Jam & Preserves, 1 tbsp
Morning Snack
Sport Drink/Lemonade, 2 cups
Sport Bar, 1
Banana, 1 med
Lunch
2 Sandwiches:
Roll/bread, 2 roll / 4 slices of bread
Lean meat, 2 oz (60 g)
Cheese, 1 oz (30 g)
Vegetables, 2 cups
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon Snack
Sport Drink/Lemonade, 2 cups
Apple, 1 large
Bread, 2 slices
Jam or preserves, 1 tbsp
Dinner
Vegetables, 2 cups
Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp
Chicken breast, baked, 3 oz (85 g)
Rice, cooked, 1½ cups
Yogurt, fruit and low fat, 1 cup
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs * Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3000 116 g 554 g 47g 1395 mg 34 mg 45 g
Day 2: Breakfast
Low fat granola, _ cup
Yogurt, fruit and low fat, 1 cup
Raisins, ¼ cup
Roll/ Toast, 1 roll/ 2 pieces of toast
Jam and preserves, 1 tbsp
Morning snack
Sports drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Trail mix, ½ cup
Peach, 1 med
Lunch
Minestrone soup, 1 cup
Crackers, ½ cup
Spaghetti, cooked 2 cups
Tomato sauce, ½ cup
Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon snack
Sport drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Banana, 1 med
Sport bar, 1
Dinner
Salmon filet, 3 oz (85g)
Potato, baked or mashed, 1 cup
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Steamed vegetables, 2 cups
Frozen yogurt, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs * Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3240 104g 573g 69g 997mg 23mg 44g
Day 3: Breakfast
Omelet:
Egg whites, 2
Vegetables, 1 cup
Roll/ toast, 1 roll/ 2 pieces of toast
Jam and preserves, 1tbsp
Orange, 1 med
Morning snack
Sports drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Sports bar, 1
Pear, 1 large
Lunch
Grilled turkey breast sandwich:
Deli turkey, 2 oz (60g)
1 Roll/ 2 pieces of bread
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Pesto pasta with tomatoes, 1½ cups
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon snack
Sport drink/ lemonade, 2 cups
Pretzels, 10 small
Unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup
Dinner
Stir-fry vegetables, 1 cup
Risotto, 2 cups cooked
Shrimp, fish, or chicken 3 oz (85 g)
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Fruit yogurt low fat, 1 cup
Berries, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs* Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3360 112g 573g 74g 1365mg 22mg 40g
Travel Menus and Guides: When you travel diet changes from home diet. This list can help guide
you to some valid dietary choices:
Look for:
Breakfast Buffet Style
A variety of breakfast options need to be provided, including juices, fruits, cereals and hot food
options. Examples are:
Cereals
- Cold cereals: wholegrain cereals, muesli, granola
- Hot cereals : porridge and oatmeal (with dried fruit, brown sugar, cinnamon)
Dairy
- Milk and soymilk (whole, low fat, and skim)
- Natural, plain and fruit yogurt (whole and low fat)
- Low fat cottage cheese (plain or with fresh fruit)
Breads
- White and whole-grain toast, English muffins, bagels
Other hot items:
- Pancakes, waffles (made with white and whole grain flour, added oats, raisings, fruit)
- Eggs (poached, hard boiled or scrambled eggs)
Spreads
- Butter or margarine
- Honey, jam
- Peanut butter
Fruit
- Fresh fruit pieces or fruit salad
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Juices (orange, apple and other)
Drinks
- Coffee, tea (herbal and black), hot chocolate, milk.
Lunch – Buffet Style
Both hot and cold food options need to be available. Suggestions include:
Sandwiches
- A variety of white and whole grain rolls or breads with butter and margarine on the side
- Cold cuts (lean ham, tuna/salmon in brine, lean chicken, roast beef, cheese)
- Salads (variety of lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, onions etc.)
- Condiments (mustard, chutney, preserves, honey, margarine, low fat mayonnaise)
Hot dishes
- Soup (minestrone, vegetable)
- Pasta and noodles (pasta with tomato based sauces, Chinese or Japanese noodles with soy
sauce; lean protein sources such as turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef)
- Rice based dishes (risotto, fried rice, pilaf, Spanish rice; lean protein sources such as
turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef)
- Corn meal (polenta)
- Home made pizza
- Tortilla based dishes (chicken burrito, fish tacos, wraps)
- Baked potato (with variety of toppings)
Dessert
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad
- Low fat muffins or fruit and vegetable cakes (banana bread, carrot cake)
- Yogurt and custard
- Trail mix (nuts and dried fruit mix)
- Italian yogurt ice cream (½ plain yogurt + ½ vanilla ice cream)
Drinks
- Water, juice, tea (herbal), hot chocolate or coffee
Dinner
In the evening most need to consume a large hot meal. Please ensure that minimal oil is used
and lean meat and low fat dairy products are utilized. A variety of options are stated below:
Main Course
- Soup
- Vegetarian and/or meat pasta
- Stir-fry dishes with rice or couscous
- Sweet and sour chicken/beef and rice
- Grilled fish, skinless chicken breast, lean steak with potatoes
- Risotto, pilaf, or fried rice with chicken, fish, or steak
- Asian noodles with meat and vegetables
- Vegetarian or meat-based curry with rice
- Vegetarian and meat-based Mexican food
- Serve with plenty of bread rolls and salads (dressing served on the side; use olive oil)
Dessert:
- Fruit crumble, pies, cakes
- Rice pudding or milk rice
- Bread and custard pudding
- Fruit salad or fresh fruit bowl
- Serve with low fat ice cream, yogurt, or custard
Drinks:
- Water, juice, tea (herbal), coffee
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD NUTRITION
Four Food Groups
Wrestlers can achieve a balanced diet by eating foods from the four basic food groups. The
training table guidelines listed below indicate the minimum number of servings from each food
group for each day. The menus in Appendix A are consistent with these recommendations.
Meat Group: This group includes high protein foods: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes (such as
dry beans and lentils), and nuts. Choose lean meats, fish, and poultry (without skin) to help keep
your fat intake low. Remember to keep portion sizes moderate.
Dairy Group: This group is rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients needed for healthy bones
and muscles. Choose products labeled "low-fat" or "non-fat" to get the full nutritional value
without the extra fat calories found in whole milk products.
Fruit/Vegetable Group: This group includes all fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and
vegetables and juices. This food group is loaded with vitamins and minerals and fiber. Foods in
this group are mostly composed of carbohydrates.
Grain Group: This group is the main source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. It includes
grains such as oats, rice, and wheat, and the breads, cereals, noodles, and pasta made from
them.
TRAINING TABLE
GUIDELINES
Group Minimum Serving Sizes
Meat 2 - 4oz.
Cooked meat 5 -7 oz/day
Milk 1 cup
Fruit/Vegetable ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
1 med. size piece fruit
1/2 cup juice
Grain
1 slice bread
1 cup cereal
1/2 cup pasta
CALORIES
A "calorie" is a unit used to describe the energy content of foods. Your body requires energy,
and the food you eat supplies that energy. When you take in more food calories than you use,
those extra calories are stored as fat, and you gain weight. Weight loss occurs when you
consume fewer calories than you use. This causes your body to utilize its stored fat for energy,
and you lose weight as a result. Losing weight gradually helps assure that mostly fat will be
lost. Losing weight too quickly will cause you to lose muscle and water in addition to fat,
sapping your strength and endurance in the process. Gradual weight loss is best accomplished
by combining your training with a slight reduction in food intake. Remember, your body
requires a certain amount of energy and nutrients just to keep you alive and healthy.
For this reason, your caloric Intake should not fall below 1,700-2,000 calories per day. In
planning your diet, it will be helpful to estimate how many calories you need each day. Caloric
needs differ from wrestler to wrestler depending upon body size and activity level. Appendix A
contains examples of 2,000 calorie menus to help you plan your diet. Appendix B can help you
plan to eat wisely at fast-food restaurants.
Fat
No fat…………. No Hormones to train…
Everyone needs a little fat in their diets, and athletes are no exception. Many of your hormones
that you need to train and recover come from fat sources. Fat should make up about 20-30% of
the calories you consume.
Most of the fat we consume is naturally found in foods (meats, nuts, and dairy products) or
added during the preparation of food (e.g. fried foods). Sources of additional fat include
margarine, peanut butter, and salad dressings. Hormones come from fat. No fat… No hormones
to train.
Fat is also a valuable fuel source, when your glycogen(stored muscle fuels) are used up.
Protein
Protein is used for growth and repair of all the cells in your body. It also determines how much
muscle mass you can maintain. Often over the course of a long wrestling season, we see muscle
wasting meaning a wrestler gets thinner and thinner and may not realize that as you lose mass
you lose structural power and strength. As you thin out you are weaker and weaker. Good
sources of protein are meat, fish, and poultry. Many plant foods, like beans and nuts, are good
protein sources too. However, nuts are also high in fat and so should be eaten only in small
quantities. Your diet should provide 12-15% of its calories as protein. The typical American diet
provides more than enough protein, so you don't need to worry too much about your protein
intake.
The Importance of Protein in the Optimum Eating Plan for the Athlete
Practice, workout, compete. Practice, workout, compete. Practice, workout, compete. For the
competitive athlete, this may be the typical scenario during the season. Include a long school
day, attention to homework, and less than perfect sleep habits, and you have a potential
disaster on your hands. Although such activity levels are necessary in the quest to become the
best you can be, have fun and play to your fullest potential, build mental confidence, and
prevent sports-related injuries, this type of schedule can reek havoc on the body. Especially, if
you are not taking the proper steps to rebuild, repair, and recover.
We know that practice, workouts, and games stress the body, physically. Although each of
these components is needed to compete successfully, the actions performed during these
events, actually, traumatizes the body. At the molecular level, muscle tissue is broken down,
pulled, strained, and frayed. The joints and connective tissue around them are bruised,
inflamed, and swollen. Blood plasma is ‘thinned-out’ and vital organs, like the heart, kidney,
and lungs, along with various systems such as the respiratory, hormonal, and central nervous
system, are stressed to the max. The result is anything, but optimum performance conditions.
Although these practices, workouts, and games are physically traumatizing to the body, they are
needed in order to acquire the skills needed to compete successfully, improve physical
capacities, and are, just plain, fun. When performed correctly and at the right intensities, they
send signals to the body to rebuild itself. Not, simply, to the state it was prior to the event. You
see, the body is not a machine that just takes ‘wear and tear’, slowly breaking down over the
years. The body is a smart organism that, when sent the right signals (progressive workouts /
gameplay) and given the right recovery tools (rest and proper nutrition), can rebuild itself to a
state better than before such activities. Think of the practices, workouts, and games as the
catalyst for making the body faster, bigger, and stronger. When proper recovery strategies
are taken, these stresses are rewarded, positively. However, if the body does not have the
right nutrients available for repair, the stresses of the practices, workouts, and games becomes
a negative situation for the body. Repeated trauma and less than optimum recovery tactics
manifest themselves as overtraining; the body cannot rebuild and repair itself. To the contrary,
it starts to breakdown, performance declines, and susceptibility to injury increases.
Adequate protein intake is vital to the rebuilding and recovery process. Protein delivers all of
the raw ingredients needed by the body for repair. Various protein sources are made up of
different amino acids. These amino acids are the molecular building blocks of our body. When
proteins are digested, our bodies break them down into amino acids that the body can use to
rebuild itself as needed. As you can see, protein is critical in the rebuilding and recovery
processes of the body. Inadequate intake of protein, inferior protein sources, and inadequate
intake of other nutrients, such as carbohydrates, which leads to the use of protein as fuel
instead of repair, will lead to a state of overtraining and degeneration; anything but, optimal
performance conditions.
Although it would be wise to read as many food labels as possible, purchase a book that details
nutritional breakdowns of food, and educate yourself, as much as possible, in the science of
nutrition, we have been able to reduce eating strategies, down, into an easy to understand
form. The Optimum Eating Plan for Athletes simplifies nutritional goals and presents them in a
way that is easy to implement, immediately.
Nutritional Goal #1: Include a quality source of protein with each meal and mini-meal or snack.
Every, three to five hours.
Translation:
1st Choice Proteins
Eggs / Egg Whites
Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
Fish
Protein Powders
2nd Choice Proteins
Turkey
Chicken
Duck
3rd Choice Proteins
Lean Beef
Lean Pork
Lamb
Be consist ant with your nutritional goals. Include a quality protein source, regularly. Missing a
protein source at one meal is not going to doom your efforts. Likewise, consuming a quality
protein, once, is not going to make a significant impact on your development. Consistency is
crucial.
Quality sources of protein can easily be chosen by remembering our key phrase. You don’t need
to memorize endless food lists or count and measure everything you eat. Select a protein about
the size of the palm of your hand and include it at each meal or mini-meal / snack.
Although, quite simplified, we find our athletes are able to interpret and understand the
material, well, and are able to comprehend and make wise food choices, immediately. Two, of
the key components, needed to successfully modify your food intake, favorably
Vitamins and Minerals
If you eat a balanced diet from the four basic food groups, you will consume all the vitamins and
minerals your body needs. Including ample portions of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
will help ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral supplements
are usually unnecessary, but if you like to have the added "insurance" of taking a supplement,
choose a vitamin and mineral supplement that does not exceed 100% of the Recommended
Daily Allowance (RDA) for each nutrient.
Zinc is critical in sweat loss sports. Low zinc levels have the same symptoms as Chronic fatigue
syndrome.
B vitamins are your recovery vitamins. They are so critical for an athlete to train and compete at
a high level you should take B vitamins supplements.
Iron if you don’t have it you are doomed. It is responsible for the oxygen dynamics in human
muscle. One iron pill (ferrous sulfate or gluconate) one time per week is critical. Always take
with vitamin C or O.J. at night is best then go to bed… never with Calcium or dairy products.
(Prevents it from binding to blood cells) Remember more is not better with iron.
Eating Before Training or Competition
When you eat can often be as important as what you eat before competition and between
matches in a tournament. When you eat a regular meal, it takes about three hours for the food
to be completely digested and absorbed. As a result, meals are best eaten three to four hours
before competition. For athletes too nervous to consume solid foods before competition,
special sports nutrition supplements may be an option. Carbohydrate supplements and liquid-
nutrition supplements can be taken up to one hour before training or competition, but you
should experiment with such products to make certain that you do not experience discomfort. A
properly-formulated sports drink can be consumed before, during, and following training or
competition to help minimize dehydration and provide a source of energy to working muscles.
In Between Rounds/Games
As soon as you finish a match you should take in some glucose (from Gatorade or Powerade
watered down) At least 10 ounces and some simple carbs. ex. Powerbar or fruit. Ex. Raisins
Banana. This needs to be done asap. Within minutes.
Nutritional Preparation for Tournaments and Multiple Heat Competitions:
Preparing for a single event is challenging enough, but what should you do if you have to
compete in a series of events? Many sporting competitions involve multiple games or a series
of heats and finals in the same day, or over consecutive days. To further complicate matters, in
some situations the exact start time of an event may not be known (e.g. tennis tournament)
making planning even more difficult. Whatever the scenario, meeting your nutritional needs to
compete at your best means you need to consider a number of key factors. When it comes to
tournaments expect the unexpected. Don’t just plan for what you hope will happen, plan for the
worst-case scenario. For example, in tennis the match could go for a shorter or longer duration
than expected due to a player injury, rain delays or a close game that goes to an extra set. For a
successful competition, planning is important but flexibility is required. If you only have limited
strategies, meal times or a restricted eating pattern then there is a good chance you will be
caught out.
Challenges with food timing:
General advice for eating before exercise is to have a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack 2-4 hours
before exercise. However, in a tournament situation this may not always be practical. The
breaks between events may not be long enough for a meal or large snack to be digested. Instead
a better strategy might be to have a planned “graze” throughout the day on lots of small
nutritious snack foods. Individual tolerance varies however, use the following as a guide:
Time Before Exercise
Suggested Food Choices
3-4 hours
Toast Bread with jam or honey + Sport drink
baked potato + cheese filling + Fruit Juice
Honey on toast
breakfast cereal with milk
bread roll with banana
fruit salad with fruit-flavored yoghurt
pasta or rice with a sauce based onlow-fat ingredients (e.g.
tomato, vegetables, lean meat)
1-2 hours
liquid meal supplement
milk shake or fruit smoothie
sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
breakfast cereal with milk
cereal bars
fruit-flavored yogurt
fruit
Less than 1 hour*
sports drink
carbohydrate gel
cordial
sports bars
raisins
* NB. A small number of people experience an extreme reaction following the intake of
carbohydrate in the hour prior to exercise. In addition to these guidelines, you should consider:
. the time of day you will be competing (and don’t forget to include warm up time!)
. whether foods you would normally eat at those times of the day are going to be
appropriate – e.g. can you keep a yoghurt cold until mid-morning?
. whether foods normally used at particular times of the day could be used as part of your
tournament plan – e.g. breakfast cereals make handy snacks
Snacking throughout the day may not satisfy your appetite as well as your usual meal plan. To
avoid being hungry, plan for a larger snack or small meal at a strategic time, such as the longest
expected break. Practice your competition eating strategies in training so that you can be
confident of avoiding stomach upsets on the day.
Challenges with food availability
You’ve worked out when you are going to eat, but what are you going to choose? Typically
sporting venues provide a limited selection of foods and fluids, many not conducive to athlete
diet or nutrition. Try to find out in advance, what will be on offer to avoid any voids on the
competition day. The safest option is to take your own food supplies. Consider food freshness,
refrigeration needs and perishability. Foods that are generally consumed cold or cooled should
be kept this way. Some foods such as low-fat yogurts may be able to be kept cold for a few
hours but should be consumed early in the day. Fragile food such as sandwiches and fruit
should be kept cool and in a protective container – no one likes a warm, soggy sandwich or a
squashed banana! Robust food options that can be stored at environmental temperature
include dry biscuits, rice cakes, canned fruit, dried fruit, cereal bars, sports bars, fruit
buns/scrolls, scones and sport bars and gels. Cup-a-soups are a good option if you have access
to boiled / hot water or a microwave.
It’s always a good idea to pack a variety of foods and always pack a bit extra. You may change
your mind about what you want or you may need to eat more than you expect. However, avoid
eating everything in your bag, just because it is there. You can always take your surplus supplies
home at the end of the day.
Flavor fatigue
Your exercising muscles aren’t the only things that get tired. Your taste buds can get tired as
well! Many suitable carbohydrate-rich foods are sweet tasting, however over a long day of
competing “flavor fatigue” can set in. Salty foods often become more appealing. Many salty
foods are higher increase our thirst. This may encourage fluid intake and increase fluid
absorption and fluid retention. Excess water table weight can impede performance. Therefore,
plan to include some salty foods in your tournament eating pattern but not too much. Options
include sandwiches or peanut butter, dried biscuits, soup, low-fat 2 minute noodles.
Challenges meeting high energy requirements
Supplements such as sports bars and liquid meal supplements should be considered if you
expect to have particularly high-energy requirements, limited time to refuel or if you tend to
suffer from stomach upset during competition. Liquid meal supplements empty quickly from
your gut, decreasing the likelihood of stomach upset. They also provide valuable nutrients such
as carbohydrate and protein for refueling and recovery between events.
If you have high-energy requirements you may also consider high-sugar carbohydrate options
such as jam and honey as spreads, jelly beans, dried fruit ex. pineapple and raisins. These will
provide additional energy in the form of carbohydrate.
Challenges with hydration
You’ve now thought about the foods you are going to eat and when, but don’t forget the vital
ingredient – fluid! Preventing dehydration is a key to sustained performance, especially when
competing for long periods and in multiple events over one or many days.
Tips for maintaining hydration in tournament situations include:
-Start exercise well hydrated.
-Drink plenty of fluids from the time you wake up and keep drinking to a plan all day. Steady
drinking throughout the day/night will have you better prepared than drinking large amounts of
fluid irregularly. Sip, Sip, Sip…
-Include carbohydrate-rich beverages such as sports drinks to continually top up carbohydrate
stores and maintain fluid balance.
-“Still” beverages (e.g. sports drinks, cordial, water) may be better tolerated than carbonated
drinks especially if you are required to compete at short notice.
-Always have drink bottles handy for regular fluid consumption.
-Keep fluids cool with ice (alternatively, freeze drinks the night before allowing them to defrost
slowly over the day of competition).
Practical Example
School Swimming Meet
Time
Event
Advice
7:00 am
Breakfast
Cereal + low fat milk + slice of toast with jam
9:00 am
Warm up and race 50 m
freestyle heats
Drink at least 1 cup of water in the half hour before
race
10:00 am
Break
Fruit smoothie / banana + water or sports drink
11:00 am
Warm up and race 50 m
backstroke
11:30 am
Recovery, warm up and
race 50 m freestyle final
Remember fluids – water & sports drink
12:00 noon
Lunch
Power Bar ham sandwich + fruit raisins, pineappple
1:30 pm
Warm up and race 100 m
medley
Remember fluids – water & sports drink
3:00 pm
Break
Power Bar or Cereal bar + sports drink
4:00 pm
Warm up and race
4X50 m freestyle relay
Remember fluids between races.
4:30 pm
Recovery, warm up and
race 4X50 m medley relay
Don’t forget fluid replacement after racing. Sports
drinks will help to replenish carbohydrate until you get
home for dinner
6:00 pm
Dinner
Chicken + rice /real meal
Summary
Preparing for a competition or tournament involves putting the basics of sports nutrition into
practice. Planning ahead will help you have a successful competition and avoid food-related
stresses on the day(s) of competition. Don’t forget fluids as part of your plan!
Methods Of Weight Control That Should be Avoided- Dehydration
Dehydration reduces every physiological capacity for performance.
Weight loss in wrestlers usually occurs in a short period of time and consists primarily of water
loss. If you lose weight faster than 2-3 pounds per week, you are likely losing water (and perhaps
muscle tissue). Unfortunately, when you rehydrate after weigh-in, your body absorbs water at a
relatively slow rate: only about 2 pints per hour and it takes up to 48 hours for the water
balance in your tissues to be restored. The ill effects of dehydration include a decrease in
muscular strength and endurance, a decrease in blood flow to muscle tissues, and an impaired
ability to properly regulate your body temperature. Therefore it is recommended that:
Wrestlers should limit weight loss by dehydration to a bare minimum.
.
Use of diuretic drugs ("water pills") to help lose water weight should be avoided. These
drugs can cause disorders in the way your heart and kidneys function.
.
Wrestlers should not rely upon sitting in a steam room or sauna to cut weight. Exercise in a
plastic suit should also be avoided. These practices are strongly discouraged because they
can cause rapid dehydration and heat stroke, which may be fatal.
A pre-event meal rich in carbohydrates is best. Plan a meal consisting of high-carbohydrate,
either in solid form or in a liquid formula.
Non acidic juice
banana
Toast with butter and
jelly/honey
Beverage of choice
Peaches
HIGH
CARBOHYDRATE PRE-EVENT
MENUS
Non acidic juice
Pancakes with syrup
Toast w/margarine and jelly
Beverage of choice
Non acidic juice
Spaghetti with meat sauce
Italian bread with margarine
Fruit cup
Beverage of choice
Baked chicken, no skin
Baked potato
fruit
Dinner rolls
Beverage of choice
Fruit
lasagna
Roll
fruit
beverage of choice
Take liquid meals 2 to 3 hours prior to an event. They should be low in fat and high in
carbohydrate, with some vitamins and minerals added. Some examples of liquid meals are
Nutriment, Sustacal, and Instant Breakfast Gatorade Powerade.
Do not ingest foods and beverages high in sugar within 1 hour of the start of competition.
Sugars taken at the start of a match stimulate insulin production and therefore actually cause an
accelerated use of glycogen supplies. Take adequate fluids to ensure hydration. Unsweetened
beverages may be taken within 15 to 30 minutes of competition. Glucose and Fructose drinks
work best. Use watered down sport drinks ex. 20 ounces of Gatorade with 20 ounces of h20
same mixture with fruit drinks like Minute Made drinks. Sip don’t guzzle.
Supplemental carbohydrate during the event is not necessary for events lasting less than 60
minutes. For longer events or multiple-event, day-long activities, endurance and performance
may be improved through carbohydrate consumption during the events. Carbohydrate intake
during exercise is a major consideration in ultra-endurance events and long-duration endurance
events such as marathons.
Once an appropriate and realistic competition weight has been established and achieved,
nutrition emphasis should be on maintaining and stabilizing weight to achieve peak
performance. In order to accomplish this, the following guidelines for athletes are
recommended:
. Following the Food Guide Pyramid, choose a training diet that is high in complex
carbohydrates (55-60% of total energy), moderate in protein (20%), and low in fat (20-
25%).
. Drink to stay hydrated, and replace % of sweat loss (body weight loss) after exercise.
. Before a match, consume a high-carbohydrate, easily digested meal.
. Eat or drink carbohydrates to replenish glycogen after practice or matches.
. Maintain strength and energy by avoiding weight cycling or rapid weight loss.
. Eat small-to-moderate sized meals every 3-4 hours to help maintain steady glucose
levels and avoid "crashing." This will help control appetite and reduce binge eating.
What if I exercise early in the morning?
It is not always practical to eat a meal 3-4 hours before exercise. If you train early in the
morning you should opt for a light snack about an hour before exercise. For example,
some fruit or a cereal bar on the way to training along with some fluid such as sports
drink. Make up for your smaller carbohydrate intake by consuming carbohydrate during
the event or just after the training session.
What if I am too nervous to eat?
You will perform better when you are well-fuelled and well hydrated, and the pre-event meal
may play an important role in achieving these goals. Experiment to find a routine that works
and foods that are safe and familiar to you. Liquid meal supplements such as Power Bar Protein
Plus powder provide an alternative for anyone who has difficulty tolerating solid foods pre-
exercise. You may also find that foods such as cereal bars and sports bars can be eaten if you
nibble them slowly over the hours leading up to your competition.
Should I avoid carbohydrate 1 hour before exercise?
Most athletes are able to consume carbohydrate in the hour before exercise without affecting
performance, and in some cases it can even improve the outcome of the session. However, a
small percentage of athletes experience a drop in blood glucose levels and symptoms such as
fatigue, shakiness and dizziness after consuming carbohydrate immediately before exercise.
This reaction is a response to the increase in carbohydrate use that occurs after carbohydrate
intake, associated with a rise in the levels of the hormone, insulin. When the start of exercise
coincides with extra carbohydrate use, it is usual to see a small dip in blood glucose levels. In
most people, this is a temporary event which is quickly corrected by the body without any side-
effects. However, in a few individuals, the drop in blood glucose is greater, or the individual is
sensitive to the change, suffering a pronounced fatigue. If you are affected in this way consider
the following advice:
. Experiment to find the best timing for your pre-exercise meal. Try allowing a longer
period between eating and exercising.
. If you need to eat close to exercise, opt for a snack that provides at least 70 g of
carbohydrate. There is some evidence to suggest that small amounts of carbohydrate
(<50 g) are more likely to cause problems in sensitive individuals than larger
amounts. This is probably because the small intake of carbohydrate is swamped by
the carbohydrate use. Larger intakes will compensate for a greater rate of use,
leaving the athlete with a net gain in carbohydrate availability.
. Include some low glycemic index foods (yoghurt, multigrain bread, pasta, oranges) in
the pre-exercise meal. These result in a slower release of glucose throughout
exercise and a smaller insulin response compared to higher glycemic index foods.
. Include some high-intensity activity in your warm-up. This helps to stimulate glucose
release from the liver and prevents blood glucose levels from dropping too low.
. Consume carbohydrate during the event.
Should I avoid eating before exercise if I am trying to lose weight?
Exercising in a fasted state (8 hours since the last meal) results in a greater proportion of fat
being used as the exercise fuel compared to doing the same workload after a carbohydrate-
containing meal or snack. However, it is possible that you will be able to exercise harder and for
a longer period if you consume carbohydrate before exercise. Overall, this will result in greater
energy use and a better contribution to the negative energy balance that is needed to cause fat
loss. To make a decision about eating before your workout, it is useful to consider the goals of
the session. If your primary goal is to improve performance, have something to eat before
exercise. If your primary goal is weight loss, and you will do the same amount of exercise
regardless of whether you eat or not, save your meal until after the session.
Recovery Nutrition
What are the priorities for recovery nutrition?
Recovery is a challenge for athletes who are undertaking two or more sessions each day,
training for prolonged periods, or competing in a program that involves multiple events.
Between each work-out, the body needs to adapt to the physiological stress. In the training
situation, with correct planning of the workload and the recovery time, adaptation allows the
body to become fitter, stronger and faster. In the competition scenario, however, there may be
less control over the work-to-recovery ration. A simpler but more realistic goal may be to start
all events in the best shape possible. Recovery encompasses a complex range of process that
include:
. restoring the muscles and liver with expended fuel
. replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat
. allowing the immune system to handle the damage and challenges causes by the
exercise bout
. manufacturing new muscle protein, red blood cells and other cellular components as
part of the repair and adaptation process
The importance of each of these goals varies according to the workout - for example, how much
fuel was utilized? Was muscle damage caused? Did the athlete lose much sweat? Was a
stimulus presented to increase muscle protein? A proactive recovery means providing the body
with all the nutrients it needs, in a speedy and practical manner, to optimize the desired
processes following each session. State-of-the-art guidelines for each of the following issues are
presented below:
. Refueling
The muscle can restore its fuel (glycogen) levels by about 5 per cent per hour,
provided that enough carbohydrate is eaten. Depending on the fuel cost of the
training schedule and the need to fuel up to race, a serious athlete may need to
consume 6-10 g of carbohydrate per kg body weight each day (300-700 g per day). If
the time between prolonged training sessions is less than 8 hrs, it makes sense to use
all of this period for effective refueling. To kick-start this process an intake of at least
1 g/kg of carbohydrate - 50-100g for most athletes - is needed. This has lead to the
advice that athletes should consume carbohydrate - either their next meal, or at least
a snack - as soon as possible after an exhausting workout, to prepare for the next.
. Rehydration
Most athletes finish training or competition sessions with some level of fluid deficit.
In hot conditions or after strenuous sessions, fluid losses are usually large and require
a focused effort to rehydrate after the workout. In this case, comparing pre- and
post-session measurements of body weight can provide an approximation of the
overall fluid deficit. Athletes may need to replace 150 per cent of the fluid deficit to
get back to baseline - for example, if you are 2 kg lighter (2 litres lighter) at the end of
the session, you will need to drink 3 litres of fluid over the next hours to fully replace
the existing and ongoing fluid losses.
. Immune System
In general, the immune system is suppressed by intensive training, with many
parameters being reduced or disturbed during the hours following a work-out. This
may place athletes at risk of succumbing to an infectious illness during this time.
Many nutrients or dietary factors have been proposed as an aid to the immune
system - for example, vitamins C and E, glutamine, zinc and echinacea - but none of
these have proved to provide universal protection. The most recent evidence points
to carbohydrate as one of the most promising nutritional immune protectors.
Consuming carbohydrate during and/or after a prolonged or high-intensity work-out
has been shown to reduce the disturbance to immune system markers.
Carbohydrate intake may be beneficial for a number of reasons. For example, it
reduces the stress hormone response to exercise thus minimising its effect on the
immune system. It also supplies glucose to fuel the activity of many of the immune
system white cells.
. Muscle Repair and Building
Prolonged and high-intensity exercise causes a substantial breakdown of muscle
protein. During the recovery phase there is a reduction in catabolic (breakdown)
processes and a gradual increase in anabolic (building) processes. Recent research
has shown that early intake of essential amino acids from good quality protein foods
helps to promote the increase in protein rebuilding. In fact, protein consumed
immediately after, or in the case of resistance training work-outs, immediately before
the session, is taken up more effectively by the muscle into rebuilding processes, than
protein consumed in the hours afterwards. However, the protein needs to be
consumed with carbohydrate foods to maximize this effect. Carbohydrate intake
stimulates an insulin response, which potentiates the increase in protein uptake and
rebuilding.
How does recovery eating fit into the big picture of nutrition goals?
For the athlete who is undertaking two or more training sessions each day, eating for recovery
plays a substantial role in the daily food schedule and in total nutrient uptake. Either meals
(which generally supply all the nutrients needed for recovery) must be timetabled so that they
can be eaten straight after the work-out, or special recovery snacks must be slotted in to cover
nutrient needs until the next meal can be eaten. These recovery snacks then need to be
counted towards total daily intake.
For athletes who have high-energy needs, these snacks add a useful contribution towards the
total day's nutritional and energy needs. When there is a large nutritional budget to play with, it
may not matter too much if the snacks only look after the key recovery nutrients - for example
carbohydrate - or contain extra kilojoules from fat. On the other hand, for the athlete whose
goals require a careful attitude to dietary intake, recovery snacks may need to be low in fat, and
count towards meeting daily needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Snacks that can
supply special needs for calcium, iron or other nutrients may double up as recovery snacks and
good overall choices.
Immediate Timing of Nutritional Recovery ******READ THIS CAREFULLY******
As soon as you finish training or competing you need to refuel your energy depleted muscles.
Without reloaded muscles optimal performance is compromised. There is a very important
timing and nutritional window for recovery to take place and more importantly it has become
clear that recovery nutrition is a huge factor in determining if training effect has taken place or
not. This means that if you wait after training to take in nutrients there is lost training effect.
Athletes in these landmark studies that failed to take in any nutrients immediately after training
ended up losing the majority of training effect in muscle and experienced significant degrees of
intra muscular damage, while the group that took in nutrients had huge gains in muscle
strength, Muscle fiber size and actual muscle size (hypertrophy). SO the choice is yours when
your workout is done your training is not done because until you recover from the stress of
training you cannot gain the adaptation in muscle. This is the process we have come up with for
top athletes for recovery nutrition:
Step One: take in 4-6 ounces of a very sweet drink ex. Glucose or Fructose (full strength
Gatorade or Powerade or MinuteMaid Fruit punch… In Europe they are using coca cola.(Corn
Sweetner /Sucrose which gives the largest sugar spike and insulin release) This gives you a quick
sugar high and results in the release of insulin which makes your fuel depleted muscles uptake
glucose from your bloodstream, restarting the refueling process.
Step Two: Take in fast protein. Fast protein is protein in liquid form. It is easier to be utilized
than solid forms of protein like a protein bar. You can use chocolate milk 12-16 ounces or
myoplex protein drink or protein shakes or yogurt. Protein after training has a huge roll in
recovery as well as determining whether training effect will be optimal. When athletes took in
only carbohydrates after training the majority of training effect was lost.
Step Three: Take in 75g of carbohydrates. We are using raisins and fig bars. First they are easy to
keep in your locker or gym bag. They don’t go bad quickly and they are simple to obtain. A small
box of raisins contains 56g of carbs so we go with two handfuls or 2-3 fig bars. Then an
additional minimal 75g of carbs must be consumed within the next hour which would be part of
an actual meal. Much more than 75g should be taken in this meal.
The importance of recovery nutrition is critical in either gaining condition or losing condition, so
remember if you wait to take any nutrients in after training, your workout can all be for nothing.
Don’t waste all that effort because you are not willing to take this important step in helping your
body recover.
What are the practical considerations for recovery eating?
Some athletes finish sessions with a good appetite, so most foods are appealing to eat. On the
other hand, a fatigued athlete may only feel like eating something that is compact and easy to
chew. When snacks need to be kept or eaten at the training venue itself, foods and drinks that
require minimal storage and preparation are useful. At other times, valuable features of
recovery foods include being portable and able to travel interstate or overseas without penalties
from customs officials, being individually packaged and sealed for the benefit of lengthy nights
of drug testing, or being labeled with nutritional information so that the athlete can check how
much they need to consume to meet their recovery goals. Situations and challenges in sport
change from day to day, and between athletes - so recovery snacks need to be carefully chosen
to meet these needs.
The following table provides ideas for snacks providing carbohydrate, as well as carbohydrate-
protein combinations.
Carbohydrate-rich recovery snacks (50g CHO portions)
. 700-800ml sports drink
. 2 sports gels
. 500ml fruit juice or soft drink
. 300ml carbohydrate loader drink
. 60-70g packet jelly beans
. 2 slices toast/bread with jam or honey or banana topping
. 1 large chocolate bar (80g)
. 2 cereal bars
. 1 cup thick vegetable soup + large bread roll
. 115g (1 large or 2 small) American muffins, fruit buns or scones
. 300g rice
. 300g (large) baked potato with filling
. 100g pancakes (2 stack) + 30g syrup
Nutritious carbohydrate-protein recovery snacks (contain 50g CHO + valuable source of
protein and micronutrients)
. 250-300ml liquid meal supplement
. 250-300ml milk shake or fruit smoothie
. 1-2 sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
. 1 large bowl (2 cups) breakfast cereal with milk
. 1 large or 2 small cereal bars + 200g carton fruit-flavored yogurt
. 220g 3 slices of toast
. 1 bread roll with cheese/meat filling + large banana
. 300g (bowl) fruit salad with 200g fruit-flavored yoghurt
. 2 crumpets with thick spread peanut butter + 200ml flavored milk
. 300g (large) baked potato + cheese filling + glass of milk
. 200g (1/3-1/4 pizza) with chicken/meat and vegetables
It is important for athletes to avoid the common restrictive eating patterns prior to
competition, followed by binge eating afterwards. This pattern is detrimental both to athletic
performance and to psychological well being. Athletes who are in tune with their body needs
are much more likely to be successful and enjoy competing to its full potential
I believe that meal replacement drinks such as Gator Pro are valuable adjuncts to an athlete's
diet. They can be beneficial when consumed before a competition because they keep weight
gain to a minimum due to the low stool residue, yet they provide needed calories and fluids.
They are also absorbed more quickly than solids and can be consumed closer to competition.
The athlete must experiment in advance to determine which drinks best suit their individual
needs. High-carbohydrate drinks such as Gator Lode may be more appropriate as a recovery
carbohydrate following exercise, when sometimes appetite is reduced. I do not recommend
other dietary supplements other than a well-balanced multi-vitamin-mineral supplement.
These are suggestions for nutrition that can help you have more energy and be a better
athlete…
Diet Nutrition Summary
John Underwood American Athletic Institute
WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY IS WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT OF IT…
Research has shown that practicing proper methods of weight control is essential to maximizing
your athletic performance. Peak physical performance can only occur when the body is supplied
with an adequate amount of essential nutrients. Using improper methods of weight control will
decrease your level of performance. The Wrestler's Diet provides the necessary information to
help you achieve the highest level of performance possible. The psychological advantages of
maintaining good nutritional practices are great: you'll wrestle better if you feel good physically
and mentally. You will also wrestle better knowing that you have done everything possible to be
at your best.
Peak physical performance can only occur when the body is supplied with an adequate amount
of essential nutrients. Using improper methods of weight control will decrease your level of
performance.
It must also be noted that athletes must take some food into the body every four hours. This
prevents low blood glucose levels which in turn reduce cortisol, the stress hormone from being
released, which is responsible for tearing down muscle capacity.
You cannot run on empty. A hand full of raisins or a couple bites of a power bar or a few sips of
watered down Gatorade or fruit drink can keep you blood glucose level up and you alert and
physically responsive. You cannot train or compete at optimal levels with low blood glucose
levels. Remember your brain and your muscles run off the blood glucose levels.
Menus for Healthy Living
Want to know exactly what to eat? The following menus each contain between 1,500 and 1,800
calories and are designed around food-group servings from USDA's Food Pyramid. Use these
menus as a guide to developing your own menus, substituting equivalent amounts of your
favorite foods from within the same food group whenever you like. Vegetarians can easily
substitute such meat and dairy alternatives as tofu and beans for protein, and calcium-fortified
soy milk and soy milk products for the dairy category.
In order for families to realize what foods and dietary options are necessary for proper nutrition
here are some suggestions:
MENU 1
Breakfast:
1/2 cup orange juice (1 Fruit)
1 cup cooked oatmeal (2 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
3 slices (3 ounces) turkey breast (1 Meat)
2 slices whole-grain bread (2 Grain)
Fresh spinach leaves and tomato slices (1 Vegetable)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise (1 Fat)
1 apple (1 Fruit)
Afternoon Snack
1/2 cup tomato juice (1 Vegetable)
2 large rice cakes (1 Grain)
Dinner:
1 cup black bean soup(1 Meat Alternative)
1 corn tortilla, toasted (1 Grain) and topped with1 cup chopped cooked vegetables (2 Vegetable)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Jack cheese (1 Dairy)
3 fresh pineapple rings (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1 cup sugar-free, fat-free lemon yogurt (1 Dairy)
MENU 2
Breakfast:
1 cup cantaloupe or Persian melon cubes (1 Fruit)
1/2 cup bran flakes cereal (1 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
1 cup lentil soup (1 Meat alternative)
1 cup raw spinach ( Vegetable)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (Vegetable)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat salad dressing (1 Fat)
2 large or 4 small bread sticks (2 Grains)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1 cup grapes (1 Fruit)
1 slice (3/4 ounce) reduced-fat cheese (1/2 Milk product)
Dinner:
1 large flounder fillet (1 Meat) broiled with 1 teaspoon olive oil (1 Fat)
1 cup steamed broccoli spears (1 Vegetable)
1/2 small baked potato (2 Vegetable) topped with 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (1/2 Milk
product)
1/2 cup fruit salad (1 Fruit)
Snack:
3 graham cracker rectangles or 6 squares (1 Grain)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
MENU 3
Breakfast:
1/2 grapefruit (1 Fruit)
1 slice whole-grain toast (1 Grain)
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine or butter (1 Fat)
2 eggs, scrambled in nonstick skillet without fat (1 Meat)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
Pasta Salad: 1 cup cooked pasta (2 Grain) with 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese cubes (1 Milk)
1/2 cup chopped cooked vegetables (1 Vegetable)
2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing (2 Fat)
1 cup melon chunks (1 Fruit)
Snack:
4 pretzel rods (1 Bread)
1/2 cup vegetable or tomato juice (1 Vegetable)
Dinner:
3 ounces lean steak (1 Meat), sliced and wrapped in 2 fat-free flour tortillas (2 Grain) with 1/2
cup diced tomato (1 Vegetable)
1 cup raw spinach leaves (1 Vegetable)
1/2 cup red or sweet white onion slices (1 Vegetable)
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced (1 Fruit)
Snack:
2 cups air-popped popcorn (1 Grain)
MENU 4
Breakfast:
3 small pancakes (3 Grain) with 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie syrup (Free) and1 cup blueberries
(1 Fruit)
1 cup low-fat milk (1 Milk)
Lunch:
Tuna Salad Sandwich: 2 slices whole-grain bread (2 Grain) 3 ounces water-packed tuna (1 Meat)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise (1 Fat)
Chopped, celery, lettuce leaves (Free)
1 pear (1 Fruit)
Snack:
2 large cinnamon rice cakes (1 Grain) with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 Fruit)
Dinner:
1/2 chicken breast ( 1 Meat), baked or broiled, skin removed
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (1 Grain)
1 cup steamed zucchini and carrots (2 Vegetables)
1 small roll (1 Grain)
1 tablespoon reduced calorie margarine or butter (1 Fat)
Snack:
1 cup fat-free, sugar-free hot cocoa, made with low-fat milk (1 Milk)
3 fat-free cookies (1 Grain)
MENU 5
Breakfast:
1 large bagel (2 Grain), toasted with 1 ounce reduced-fat soft cheese (1 Milk)
1 cup strawberries (1 Fruit)
Lunch:
1 cup split pea soup (1 Meat Alternative)
1 whole wheat pita pocket (2 Grain) filled with Shredded lettuce (Free)
1 ounce reduced-fat feta cheese (1 Milk)
1/2 cup chopped tomato (1 Vegetable)1 tablespoon reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing (1 Fat)
Snack:
1 peach or 1/2 cup canned peaches packed in unsweetened juice (1 Fruit)
2 gingersnaps (1 Grain)
Dinner:
3 ounces lean pork (1 Meat), stir-fried with 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, 1/2 cup onion and 1/2
cup sliced mushrooms (2 Vegetables) in 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (2 Fat)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (1 Grain)
1 cup fresh pineapple cubes or 1/2 cup canned pineapple packed in unsweetened juice (1 Fruit)
Snack:
1/2 cup low-fat frozen yogurt (1 Milk)
LOADING
Prior to a major competition the diet may increase to deliver a larger store of energy over time,
ex. A tournament or series of races like trials and finals. Below is an example of 3-day
carbohydrate loading for an endurance athlete.
DAY 1: Breakfast
Cereal, 1½ cups
Milk, low fat, 1 cup
Orange Juice, 1 cup
Roll/Toast, 1 roll / 2 pieces of toast
Jam & Preserves, 1 tbsp
Morning Snack
Sport Drink/Lemonade, 2 cups
Sport Bar, 1
Banana, 1 med
Lunch
2 Sandwiches:
Roll/bread, 2 roll / 4 slices of bread
Lean meat, 2 oz (60 g)
Cheese, 1 oz (30 g)
Vegetables, 2 cups
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon Snack
Sport Drink/Lemonade, 2 cups
Apple, 1 large
Bread, 2 slices
Jam or preserves, 1 tbsp
Dinner
Vegetables, 2 cups
Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp
Chicken breast, baked, 3 oz (85 g)
Rice, cooked, 1½ cups
Yogurt, fruit and low fat, 1 cup
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs * Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3000 116 g 554 g 47g 1395 mg 34 mg 45 g
Day 2: Breakfast
Low fat granola, _ cup
Yogurt, fruit and low fat, 1 cup
Raisins, ¼ cup
Roll/ Toast, 1 roll/ 2 pieces of toast
Jam and preserves, 1 tbsp
Morning snack
Sports drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Trail mix, ½ cup
Peach, 1 med
Lunch
Minestrone soup, 1 cup
Crackers, ½ cup
Spaghetti, cooked 2 cups
Tomato sauce, ½ cup
Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon snack
Sport drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Banana, 1 med
Sport bar, 1
Dinner
Salmon filet, 3 oz (85g)
Potato, baked or mashed, 1 cup
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Steamed vegetables, 2 cups
Frozen yogurt, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs * Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3240 104g 573g 69g 997mg 23mg 44g
Day 3: Breakfast
Omelet:
Egg whites, 2
Vegetables, 1 cup
Roll/ toast, 1 roll/ 2 pieces of toast
Jam and preserves, 1tbsp
Orange, 1 med
Morning snack
Sports drink/lemonade, 2 cups
Sports bar, 1
Pear, 1 large
Lunch
Grilled turkey breast sandwich:
Deli turkey, 2 oz (60g)
1 Roll/ 2 pieces of bread
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Pesto pasta with tomatoes, 1½ cups
Fruit Juice, 100%, 1 cup
Afternoon snack
Sport drink/ lemonade, 2 cups
Pretzels, 10 small
Unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup
Dinner
Stir-fry vegetables, 1 cup
Risotto, 2 cups cooked
Shrimp, fish, or chicken 3 oz (85 g)
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Fruit yogurt low fat, 1 cup
Berries, 1 cup
Nutrition Facts:
Calories Protein Carbs* Fat Calcium Iron Fiber
3360 112g 573g 74g 1365mg 22mg 40g
Travel Menus and Guides: When you travel diet changes from home diet. This list can help guide
you to some valid dietary choices:
Look for:
Breakfast Buffet Style
A variety of breakfast options need to be provided, including juices, fruits, cereals and hot food
options. Examples are:
Cereals
- Cold cereals: wholegrain cereals, muesli, granola
- Hot cereals : porridge and oatmeal (with dried fruit, brown sugar, cinnamon)
Dairy
- Milk and soymilk (whole, low fat, and skim)
- Natural, plain and fruit yogurt (whole and low fat)
- Low fat cottage cheese (plain or with fresh fruit)
Breads
- White and whole-grain toast, English muffins, bagels
Other hot items:
- Pancakes, waffles (made with white and whole grain flour, added oats, raisings, fruit)
- Eggs (poached, hard boiled or scrambled eggs)
Spreads
- Butter or margarine
- Honey, jam
- Peanut butter
Fruit
- Fresh fruit pieces or fruit salad
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Juices (orange, apple and other)
Drinks
- Coffee, tea (herbal and black), hot chocolate, milk.
Lunch – Buffet Style
Both hot and cold food options need to be available. Suggestions include:
Sandwiches
- A variety of white and whole grain rolls or breads with butter and margarine on the side
- Cold cuts (lean ham, tuna/salmon in brine, lean chicken, roast beef, cheese)
- Salads (variety of lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, onions etc.)
- Condiments (mustard, chutney, preserves, honey, margarine, low fat mayonnaise)
Hot dishes
- Soup (minestrone, vegetable)
- Pasta and noodles (pasta with tomato based sauces, Chinese or Japanese noodles with soy
sauce; lean protein sources such as turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef)
- Rice based dishes (risotto, fried rice, pilaf, Spanish rice; lean protein sources such as
turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef)
- Corn meal (polenta)
- Home made pizza
- Tortilla based dishes (chicken burrito, fish tacos, wraps)
- Baked potato (with variety of toppings)
Dessert
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad
- Low fat muffins or fruit and vegetable cakes (banana bread, carrot cake)
- Yogurt and custard
- Trail mix (nuts and dried fruit mix)
- Italian yogurt ice cream (½ plain yogurt + ½ vanilla ice cream)
Drinks
- Water, juice, tea (herbal), hot chocolate or coffee
Dinner
In the evening most need to consume a large hot meal. Please ensure that minimal oil is used
and lean meat and low fat dairy products are utilized. A variety of options are stated below:
Main Course
- Soup
- Vegetarian and/or meat pasta
- Stir-fry dishes with rice or couscous
- Sweet and sour chicken/beef and rice
- Grilled fish, skinless chicken breast, lean steak with potatoes
- Risotto, pilaf, or fried rice with chicken, fish, or steak
- Asian noodles with meat and vegetables
- Vegetarian or meat-based curry with rice
- Vegetarian and meat-based Mexican food
- Serve with plenty of bread rolls and salads (dressing served on the side; use olive oil)
Dessert:
- Fruit crumble, pies, cakes
- Rice pudding or milk rice
- Bread and custard pudding
- Fruit salad or fresh fruit bowl
- Serve with low fat ice cream, yogurt, or custard
Drinks:
- Water, juice, tea (herbal), coffee
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD NUTRITION
Four Food Groups
Wrestlers can achieve a balanced diet by eating foods from the four basic food groups. The
training table guidelines listed below indicate the minimum number of servings from each food
group for each day. The menus in Appendix A are consistent with these recommendations.
Meat Group: This group includes high protein foods: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes (such as
dry beans and lentils), and nuts. Choose lean meats, fish, and poultry (without skin) to help keep
your fat intake low. Remember to keep portion sizes moderate.
Dairy Group: This group is rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients needed for healthy bones
and muscles. Choose products labeled "low-fat" or "non-fat" to get the full nutritional value
without the extra fat calories found in whole milk products.
Fruit/Vegetable Group: This group includes all fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and
vegetables and juices. This food group is loaded with vitamins and minerals and fiber. Foods in
this group are mostly composed of carbohydrates.
Grain Group: This group is the main source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. It includes
grains such as oats, rice, and wheat, and the breads, cereals, noodles, and pasta made from
them.
TRAINING TABLE
GUIDELINES
Group Minimum Serving Sizes
Meat 2 - 4oz.
Cooked meat 5 -7 oz/day
Milk 1 cup
Fruit/Vegetable ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
1 med. size piece fruit
1/2 cup juice
Grain
1 slice bread
1 cup cereal
1/2 cup pasta
CALORIES
A "calorie" is a unit used to describe the energy content of foods. Your body requires energy,
and the food you eat supplies that energy. When you take in more food calories than you use,
those extra calories are stored as fat, and you gain weight. Weight loss occurs when you
consume fewer calories than you use. This causes your body to utilize its stored fat for energy,
and you lose weight as a result. Losing weight gradually helps assure that mostly fat will be
lost. Losing weight too quickly will cause you to lose muscle and water in addition to fat,
sapping your strength and endurance in the process. Gradual weight loss is best accomplished
by combining your training with a slight reduction in food intake. Remember, your body
requires a certain amount of energy and nutrients just to keep you alive and healthy.
For this reason, your caloric Intake should not fall below 1,700-2,000 calories per day. In
planning your diet, it will be helpful to estimate how many calories you need each day. Caloric
needs differ from wrestler to wrestler depending upon body size and activity level. Appendix A
contains examples of 2,000 calorie menus to help you plan your diet. Appendix B can help you
plan to eat wisely at fast-food restaurants.
Fat
No fat…………. No Hormones to train…
Everyone needs a little fat in their diets, and athletes are no exception. Many of your hormones
that you need to train and recover come from fat sources. Fat should make up about 20-30% of
the calories you consume.
Most of the fat we consume is naturally found in foods (meats, nuts, and dairy products) or
added during the preparation of food (e.g. fried foods). Sources of additional fat include
margarine, peanut butter, and salad dressings. Hormones come from fat. No fat… No hormones
to train.
Fat is also a valuable fuel source, when your glycogen(stored muscle fuels) are used up.
Protein
Protein is used for growth and repair of all the cells in your body. It also determines how much
muscle mass you can maintain. Often over the course of a long wrestling season, we see muscle
wasting meaning a wrestler gets thinner and thinner and may not realize that as you lose mass
you lose structural power and strength. As you thin out you are weaker and weaker. Good
sources of protein are meat, fish, and poultry. Many plant foods, like beans and nuts, are good
protein sources too. However, nuts are also high in fat and so should be eaten only in small
quantities. Your diet should provide 12-15% of its calories as protein. The typical American diet
provides more than enough protein, so you don't need to worry too much about your protein
intake.
The Importance of Protein in the Optimum Eating Plan for the Athlete
Practice, workout, compete. Practice, workout, compete. Practice, workout, compete. For the
competitive athlete, this may be the typical scenario during the season. Include a long school
day, attention to homework, and less than perfect sleep habits, and you have a potential
disaster on your hands. Although such activity levels are necessary in the quest to become the
best you can be, have fun and play to your fullest potential, build mental confidence, and
prevent sports-related injuries, this type of schedule can reek havoc on the body. Especially, if
you are not taking the proper steps to rebuild, repair, and recover.
We know that practice, workouts, and games stress the body, physically. Although each of
these components is needed to compete successfully, the actions performed during these
events, actually, traumatizes the body. At the molecular level, muscle tissue is broken down,
pulled, strained, and frayed. The joints and connective tissue around them are bruised,
inflamed, and swollen. Blood plasma is ‘thinned-out’ and vital organs, like the heart, kidney,
and lungs, along with various systems such as the respiratory, hormonal, and central nervous
system, are stressed to the max. The result is anything, but optimum performance conditions.
Although these practices, workouts, and games are physically traumatizing to the body, they are
needed in order to acquire the skills needed to compete successfully, improve physical
capacities, and are, just plain, fun. When performed correctly and at the right intensities, they
send signals to the body to rebuild itself. Not, simply, to the state it was prior to the event. You
see, the body is not a machine that just takes ‘wear and tear’, slowly breaking down over the
years. The body is a smart organism that, when sent the right signals (progressive workouts /
gameplay) and given the right recovery tools (rest and proper nutrition), can rebuild itself to a
state better than before such activities. Think of the practices, workouts, and games as the
catalyst for making the body faster, bigger, and stronger. When proper recovery strategies
are taken, these stresses are rewarded, positively. However, if the body does not have the
right nutrients available for repair, the stresses of the practices, workouts, and games becomes
a negative situation for the body. Repeated trauma and less than optimum recovery tactics
manifest themselves as overtraining; the body cannot rebuild and repair itself. To the contrary,
it starts to breakdown, performance declines, and susceptibility to injury increases.
Adequate protein intake is vital to the rebuilding and recovery process. Protein delivers all of
the raw ingredients needed by the body for repair. Various protein sources are made up of
different amino acids. These amino acids are the molecular building blocks of our body. When
proteins are digested, our bodies break them down into amino acids that the body can use to
rebuild itself as needed. As you can see, protein is critical in the rebuilding and recovery
processes of the body. Inadequate intake of protein, inferior protein sources, and inadequate
intake of other nutrients, such as carbohydrates, which leads to the use of protein as fuel
instead of repair, will lead to a state of overtraining and degeneration; anything but, optimal
performance conditions.
Although it would be wise to read as many food labels as possible, purchase a book that details
nutritional breakdowns of food, and educate yourself, as much as possible, in the science of
nutrition, we have been able to reduce eating strategies, down, into an easy to understand
form. The Optimum Eating Plan for Athletes simplifies nutritional goals and presents them in a
way that is easy to implement, immediately.
Nutritional Goal #1: Include a quality source of protein with each meal and mini-meal or snack.
Every, three to five hours.
Translation:
1st Choice Proteins
Eggs / Egg Whites
Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
Fish
Protein Powders
2nd Choice Proteins
Turkey
Chicken
Duck
3rd Choice Proteins
Lean Beef
Lean Pork
Lamb
Be consist ant with your nutritional goals. Include a quality protein source, regularly. Missing a
protein source at one meal is not going to doom your efforts. Likewise, consuming a quality
protein, once, is not going to make a significant impact on your development. Consistency is
crucial.
Quality sources of protein can easily be chosen by remembering our key phrase. You don’t need
to memorize endless food lists or count and measure everything you eat. Select a protein about
the size of the palm of your hand and include it at each meal or mini-meal / snack.
Although, quite simplified, we find our athletes are able to interpret and understand the
material, well, and are able to comprehend and make wise food choices, immediately. Two, of
the key components, needed to successfully modify your food intake, favorably
Vitamins and Minerals
If you eat a balanced diet from the four basic food groups, you will consume all the vitamins and
minerals your body needs. Including ample portions of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
will help ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral supplements
are usually unnecessary, but if you like to have the added "insurance" of taking a supplement,
choose a vitamin and mineral supplement that does not exceed 100% of the Recommended
Daily Allowance (RDA) for each nutrient.
Zinc is critical in sweat loss sports. Low zinc levels have the same symptoms as Chronic fatigue
syndrome.
B vitamins are your recovery vitamins. They are so critical for an athlete to train and compete at
a high level you should take B vitamins supplements.
Iron if you don’t have it you are doomed. It is responsible for the oxygen dynamics in human
muscle. One iron pill (ferrous sulfate or gluconate) one time per week is critical. Always take
with vitamin C or O.J. at night is best then go to bed… never with Calcium or dairy products.
(Prevents it from binding to blood cells) Remember more is not better with iron.
Eating Before Training or Competition
When you eat can often be as important as what you eat before competition and between
matches in a tournament. When you eat a regular meal, it takes about three hours for the food
to be completely digested and absorbed. As a result, meals are best eaten three to four hours
before competition. For athletes too nervous to consume solid foods before competition,
special sports nutrition supplements may be an option. Carbohydrate supplements and liquid-
nutrition supplements can be taken up to one hour before training or competition, but you
should experiment with such products to make certain that you do not experience discomfort. A
properly-formulated sports drink can be consumed before, during, and following training or
competition to help minimize dehydration and provide a source of energy to working muscles.
In Between Rounds/Games
As soon as you finish a match you should take in some glucose (from Gatorade or Powerade
watered down) At least 10 ounces and some simple carbs. ex. Powerbar or fruit. Ex. Raisins
Banana. This needs to be done asap. Within minutes.
Nutritional Preparation for Tournaments and Multiple Heat Competitions:
Preparing for a single event is challenging enough, but what should you do if you have to
compete in a series of events? Many sporting competitions involve multiple games or a series
of heats and finals in the same day, or over consecutive days. To further complicate matters, in
some situations the exact start time of an event may not be known (e.g. tennis tournament)
making planning even more difficult. Whatever the scenario, meeting your nutritional needs to
compete at your best means you need to consider a number of key factors. When it comes to
tournaments expect the unexpected. Don’t just plan for what you hope will happen, plan for the
worst-case scenario. For example, in tennis the match could go for a shorter or longer duration
than expected due to a player injury, rain delays or a close game that goes to an extra set. For a
successful competition, planning is important but flexibility is required. If you only have limited
strategies, meal times or a restricted eating pattern then there is a good chance you will be
caught out.
Challenges with food timing:
General advice for eating before exercise is to have a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack 2-4 hours
before exercise. However, in a tournament situation this may not always be practical. The
breaks between events may not be long enough for a meal or large snack to be digested. Instead
a better strategy might be to have a planned “graze” throughout the day on lots of small
nutritious snack foods. Individual tolerance varies however, use the following as a guide:
Time Before Exercise
Suggested Food Choices
3-4 hours
Toast Bread with jam or honey + Sport drink
baked potato + cheese filling + Fruit Juice
Honey on toast
breakfast cereal with milk
bread roll with banana
fruit salad with fruit-flavored yoghurt
pasta or rice with a sauce based onlow-fat ingredients (e.g.
tomato, vegetables, lean meat)
1-2 hours
liquid meal supplement
milk shake or fruit smoothie
sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
breakfast cereal with milk
cereal bars
fruit-flavored yogurt
fruit
Less than 1 hour*
sports drink
carbohydrate gel
cordial
sports bars
raisins
* NB. A small number of people experience an extreme reaction following the intake of
carbohydrate in the hour prior to exercise. In addition to these guidelines, you should consider:
. the time of day you will be competing (and don’t forget to include warm up time!)
. whether foods you would normally eat at those times of the day are going to be
appropriate – e.g. can you keep a yoghurt cold until mid-morning?
. whether foods normally used at particular times of the day could be used as part of your
tournament plan – e.g. breakfast cereals make handy snacks
Snacking throughout the day may not satisfy your appetite as well as your usual meal plan. To
avoid being hungry, plan for a larger snack or small meal at a strategic time, such as the longest
expected break. Practice your competition eating strategies in training so that you can be
confident of avoiding stomach upsets on the day.
Challenges with food availability
You’ve worked out when you are going to eat, but what are you going to choose? Typically
sporting venues provide a limited selection of foods and fluids, many not conducive to athlete
diet or nutrition. Try to find out in advance, what will be on offer to avoid any voids on the
competition day. The safest option is to take your own food supplies. Consider food freshness,
refrigeration needs and perishability. Foods that are generally consumed cold or cooled should
be kept this way. Some foods such as low-fat yogurts may be able to be kept cold for a few
hours but should be consumed early in the day. Fragile food such as sandwiches and fruit
should be kept cool and in a protective container – no one likes a warm, soggy sandwich or a
squashed banana! Robust food options that can be stored at environmental temperature
include dry biscuits, rice cakes, canned fruit, dried fruit, cereal bars, sports bars, fruit
buns/scrolls, scones and sport bars and gels. Cup-a-soups are a good option if you have access
to boiled / hot water or a microwave.
It’s always a good idea to pack a variety of foods and always pack a bit extra. You may change
your mind about what you want or you may need to eat more than you expect. However, avoid
eating everything in your bag, just because it is there. You can always take your surplus supplies
home at the end of the day.
Flavor fatigue
Your exercising muscles aren’t the only things that get tired. Your taste buds can get tired as
well! Many suitable carbohydrate-rich foods are sweet tasting, however over a long day of
competing “flavor fatigue” can set in. Salty foods often become more appealing. Many salty
foods are higher increase our thirst. This may encourage fluid intake and increase fluid
absorption and fluid retention. Excess water table weight can impede performance. Therefore,
plan to include some salty foods in your tournament eating pattern but not too much. Options
include sandwiches or peanut butter, dried biscuits, soup, low-fat 2 minute noodles.
Challenges meeting high energy requirements
Supplements such as sports bars and liquid meal supplements should be considered if you
expect to have particularly high-energy requirements, limited time to refuel or if you tend to
suffer from stomach upset during competition. Liquid meal supplements empty quickly from
your gut, decreasing the likelihood of stomach upset. They also provide valuable nutrients such
as carbohydrate and protein for refueling and recovery between events.
If you have high-energy requirements you may also consider high-sugar carbohydrate options
such as jam and honey as spreads, jelly beans, dried fruit ex. pineapple and raisins. These will
provide additional energy in the form of carbohydrate.
Challenges with hydration
You’ve now thought about the foods you are going to eat and when, but don’t forget the vital
ingredient – fluid! Preventing dehydration is a key to sustained performance, especially when
competing for long periods and in multiple events over one or many days.
Tips for maintaining hydration in tournament situations include:
-Start exercise well hydrated.
-Drink plenty of fluids from the time you wake up and keep drinking to a plan all day. Steady
drinking throughout the day/night will have you better prepared than drinking large amounts of
fluid irregularly. Sip, Sip, Sip…
-Include carbohydrate-rich beverages such as sports drinks to continually top up carbohydrate
stores and maintain fluid balance.
-“Still” beverages (e.g. sports drinks, cordial, water) may be better tolerated than carbonated
drinks especially if you are required to compete at short notice.
-Always have drink bottles handy for regular fluid consumption.
-Keep fluids cool with ice (alternatively, freeze drinks the night before allowing them to defrost
slowly over the day of competition).
Practical Example
School Swimming Meet
Time
Event
Advice
7:00 am
Breakfast
Cereal + low fat milk + slice of toast with jam
9:00 am
Warm up and race 50 m
freestyle heats
Drink at least 1 cup of water in the half hour before
race
10:00 am
Break
Fruit smoothie / banana + water or sports drink
11:00 am
Warm up and race 50 m
backstroke
11:30 am
Recovery, warm up and
race 50 m freestyle final
Remember fluids – water & sports drink
12:00 noon
Lunch
Power Bar ham sandwich + fruit raisins, pineappple
1:30 pm
Warm up and race 100 m
medley
Remember fluids – water & sports drink
3:00 pm
Break
Power Bar or Cereal bar + sports drink
4:00 pm
Warm up and race
4X50 m freestyle relay
Remember fluids between races.
4:30 pm
Recovery, warm up and
race 4X50 m medley relay
Don’t forget fluid replacement after racing. Sports
drinks will help to replenish carbohydrate until you get
home for dinner
6:00 pm
Dinner
Chicken + rice /real meal
Summary
Preparing for a competition or tournament involves putting the basics of sports nutrition into
practice. Planning ahead will help you have a successful competition and avoid food-related
stresses on the day(s) of competition. Don’t forget fluids as part of your plan!
Methods Of Weight Control That Should be Avoided- Dehydration
Dehydration reduces every physiological capacity for performance.
Weight loss in wrestlers usually occurs in a short period of time and consists primarily of water
loss. If you lose weight faster than 2-3 pounds per week, you are likely losing water (and perhaps
muscle tissue). Unfortunately, when you rehydrate after weigh-in, your body absorbs water at a
relatively slow rate: only about 2 pints per hour and it takes up to 48 hours for the water
balance in your tissues to be restored. The ill effects of dehydration include a decrease in
muscular strength and endurance, a decrease in blood flow to muscle tissues, and an impaired
ability to properly regulate your body temperature. Therefore it is recommended that:
Wrestlers should limit weight loss by dehydration to a bare minimum.
.
Use of diuretic drugs ("water pills") to help lose water weight should be avoided. These
drugs can cause disorders in the way your heart and kidneys function.
.
Wrestlers should not rely upon sitting in a steam room or sauna to cut weight. Exercise in a
plastic suit should also be avoided. These practices are strongly discouraged because they
can cause rapid dehydration and heat stroke, which may be fatal.
A pre-event meal rich in carbohydrates is best. Plan a meal consisting of high-carbohydrate,
either in solid form or in a liquid formula.
Non acidic juice
banana
Toast with butter and
jelly/honey
Beverage of choice
Peaches
HIGH
CARBOHYDRATE PRE-EVENT
MENUS
Non acidic juice
Pancakes with syrup
Toast w/margarine and jelly
Beverage of choice
Non acidic juice
Spaghetti with meat sauce
Italian bread with margarine
Fruit cup
Beverage of choice
Baked chicken, no skin
Baked potato
fruit
Dinner rolls
Beverage of choice
Fruit
lasagna
Roll
fruit
beverage of choice
Take liquid meals 2 to 3 hours prior to an event. They should be low in fat and high in
carbohydrate, with some vitamins and minerals added. Some examples of liquid meals are
Nutriment, Sustacal, and Instant Breakfast Gatorade Powerade.
Do not ingest foods and beverages high in sugar within 1 hour of the start of competition.
Sugars taken at the start of a match stimulate insulin production and therefore actually cause an
accelerated use of glycogen supplies. Take adequate fluids to ensure hydration. Unsweetened
beverages may be taken within 15 to 30 minutes of competition. Glucose and Fructose drinks
work best. Use watered down sport drinks ex. 20 ounces of Gatorade with 20 ounces of h20
same mixture with fruit drinks like Minute Made drinks. Sip don’t guzzle.
Supplemental carbohydrate during the event is not necessary for events lasting less than 60
minutes. For longer events or multiple-event, day-long activities, endurance and performance
may be improved through carbohydrate consumption during the events. Carbohydrate intake
during exercise is a major consideration in ultra-endurance events and long-duration endurance
events such as marathons.
Once an appropriate and realistic competition weight has been established and achieved,
nutrition emphasis should be on maintaining and stabilizing weight to achieve peak
performance. In order to accomplish this, the following guidelines for athletes are
recommended:
. Following the Food Guide Pyramid, choose a training diet that is high in complex
carbohydrates (55-60% of total energy), moderate in protein (20%), and low in fat (20-
25%).
. Drink to stay hydrated, and replace % of sweat loss (body weight loss) after exercise.
. Before a match, consume a high-carbohydrate, easily digested meal.
. Eat or drink carbohydrates to replenish glycogen after practice or matches.
. Maintain strength and energy by avoiding weight cycling or rapid weight loss.
. Eat small-to-moderate sized meals every 3-4 hours to help maintain steady glucose
levels and avoid "crashing." This will help control appetite and reduce binge eating.
What if I exercise early in the morning?
It is not always practical to eat a meal 3-4 hours before exercise. If you train early in the
morning you should opt for a light snack about an hour before exercise. For example,
some fruit or a cereal bar on the way to training along with some fluid such as sports
drink. Make up for your smaller carbohydrate intake by consuming carbohydrate during
the event or just after the training session.
What if I am too nervous to eat?
You will perform better when you are well-fuelled and well hydrated, and the pre-event meal
may play an important role in achieving these goals. Experiment to find a routine that works
and foods that are safe and familiar to you. Liquid meal supplements such as Power Bar Protein
Plus powder provide an alternative for anyone who has difficulty tolerating solid foods pre-
exercise. You may also find that foods such as cereal bars and sports bars can be eaten if you
nibble them slowly over the hours leading up to your competition.
Should I avoid carbohydrate 1 hour before exercise?
Most athletes are able to consume carbohydrate in the hour before exercise without affecting
performance, and in some cases it can even improve the outcome of the session. However, a
small percentage of athletes experience a drop in blood glucose levels and symptoms such as
fatigue, shakiness and dizziness after consuming carbohydrate immediately before exercise.
This reaction is a response to the increase in carbohydrate use that occurs after carbohydrate
intake, associated with a rise in the levels of the hormone, insulin. When the start of exercise
coincides with extra carbohydrate use, it is usual to see a small dip in blood glucose levels. In
most people, this is a temporary event which is quickly corrected by the body without any side-
effects. However, in a few individuals, the drop in blood glucose is greater, or the individual is
sensitive to the change, suffering a pronounced fatigue. If you are affected in this way consider
the following advice:
. Experiment to find the best timing for your pre-exercise meal. Try allowing a longer
period between eating and exercising.
. If you need to eat close to exercise, opt for a snack that provides at least 70 g of
carbohydrate. There is some evidence to suggest that small amounts of carbohydrate
(<50 g) are more likely to cause problems in sensitive individuals than larger
amounts. This is probably because the small intake of carbohydrate is swamped by
the carbohydrate use. Larger intakes will compensate for a greater rate of use,
leaving the athlete with a net gain in carbohydrate availability.
. Include some low glycemic index foods (yoghurt, multigrain bread, pasta, oranges) in
the pre-exercise meal. These result in a slower release of glucose throughout
exercise and a smaller insulin response compared to higher glycemic index foods.
. Include some high-intensity activity in your warm-up. This helps to stimulate glucose
release from the liver and prevents blood glucose levels from dropping too low.
. Consume carbohydrate during the event.
Should I avoid eating before exercise if I am trying to lose weight?
Exercising in a fasted state (8 hours since the last meal) results in a greater proportion of fat
being used as the exercise fuel compared to doing the same workload after a carbohydrate-
containing meal or snack. However, it is possible that you will be able to exercise harder and for
a longer period if you consume carbohydrate before exercise. Overall, this will result in greater
energy use and a better contribution to the negative energy balance that is needed to cause fat
loss. To make a decision about eating before your workout, it is useful to consider the goals of
the session. If your primary goal is to improve performance, have something to eat before
exercise. If your primary goal is weight loss, and you will do the same amount of exercise
regardless of whether you eat or not, save your meal until after the session.
Recovery Nutrition
What are the priorities for recovery nutrition?
Recovery is a challenge for athletes who are undertaking two or more sessions each day,
training for prolonged periods, or competing in a program that involves multiple events.
Between each work-out, the body needs to adapt to the physiological stress. In the training
situation, with correct planning of the workload and the recovery time, adaptation allows the
body to become fitter, stronger and faster. In the competition scenario, however, there may be
less control over the work-to-recovery ration. A simpler but more realistic goal may be to start
all events in the best shape possible. Recovery encompasses a complex range of process that
include:
. restoring the muscles and liver with expended fuel
. replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat
. allowing the immune system to handle the damage and challenges causes by the
exercise bout
. manufacturing new muscle protein, red blood cells and other cellular components as
part of the repair and adaptation process
The importance of each of these goals varies according to the workout - for example, how much
fuel was utilized? Was muscle damage caused? Did the athlete lose much sweat? Was a
stimulus presented to increase muscle protein? A proactive recovery means providing the body
with all the nutrients it needs, in a speedy and practical manner, to optimize the desired
processes following each session. State-of-the-art guidelines for each of the following issues are
presented below:
. Refueling
The muscle can restore its fuel (glycogen) levels by about 5 per cent per hour,
provided that enough carbohydrate is eaten. Depending on the fuel cost of the
training schedule and the need to fuel up to race, a serious athlete may need to
consume 6-10 g of carbohydrate per kg body weight each day (300-700 g per day). If
the time between prolonged training sessions is less than 8 hrs, it makes sense to use
all of this period for effective refueling. To kick-start this process an intake of at least
1 g/kg of carbohydrate - 50-100g for most athletes - is needed. This has lead to the
advice that athletes should consume carbohydrate - either their next meal, or at least
a snack - as soon as possible after an exhausting workout, to prepare for the next.
. Rehydration
Most athletes finish training or competition sessions with some level of fluid deficit.
In hot conditions or after strenuous sessions, fluid losses are usually large and require
a focused effort to rehydrate after the workout. In this case, comparing pre- and
post-session measurements of body weight can provide an approximation of the
overall fluid deficit. Athletes may need to replace 150 per cent of the fluid deficit to
get back to baseline - for example, if you are 2 kg lighter (2 litres lighter) at the end of
the session, you will need to drink 3 litres of fluid over the next hours to fully replace
the existing and ongoing fluid losses.
. Immune System
In general, the immune system is suppressed by intensive training, with many
parameters being reduced or disturbed during the hours following a work-out. This
may place athletes at risk of succumbing to an infectious illness during this time.
Many nutrients or dietary factors have been proposed as an aid to the immune
system - for example, vitamins C and E, glutamine, zinc and echinacea - but none of
these have proved to provide universal protection. The most recent evidence points
to carbohydrate as one of the most promising nutritional immune protectors.
Consuming carbohydrate during and/or after a prolonged or high-intensity work-out
has been shown to reduce the disturbance to immune system markers.
Carbohydrate intake may be beneficial for a number of reasons. For example, it
reduces the stress hormone response to exercise thus minimising its effect on the
immune system. It also supplies glucose to fuel the activity of many of the immune
system white cells.
. Muscle Repair and Building
Prolonged and high-intensity exercise causes a substantial breakdown of muscle
protein. During the recovery phase there is a reduction in catabolic (breakdown)
processes and a gradual increase in anabolic (building) processes. Recent research
has shown that early intake of essential amino acids from good quality protein foods
helps to promote the increase in protein rebuilding. In fact, protein consumed
immediately after, or in the case of resistance training work-outs, immediately before
the session, is taken up more effectively by the muscle into rebuilding processes, than
protein consumed in the hours afterwards. However, the protein needs to be
consumed with carbohydrate foods to maximize this effect. Carbohydrate intake
stimulates an insulin response, which potentiates the increase in protein uptake and
rebuilding.
How does recovery eating fit into the big picture of nutrition goals?
For the athlete who is undertaking two or more training sessions each day, eating for recovery
plays a substantial role in the daily food schedule and in total nutrient uptake. Either meals
(which generally supply all the nutrients needed for recovery) must be timetabled so that they
can be eaten straight after the work-out, or special recovery snacks must be slotted in to cover
nutrient needs until the next meal can be eaten. These recovery snacks then need to be
counted towards total daily intake.
For athletes who have high-energy needs, these snacks add a useful contribution towards the
total day's nutritional and energy needs. When there is a large nutritional budget to play with, it
may not matter too much if the snacks only look after the key recovery nutrients - for example
carbohydrate - or contain extra kilojoules from fat. On the other hand, for the athlete whose
goals require a careful attitude to dietary intake, recovery snacks may need to be low in fat, and
count towards meeting daily needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Snacks that can
supply special needs for calcium, iron or other nutrients may double up as recovery snacks and
good overall choices.
Immediate Timing of Nutritional Recovery ******READ THIS CAREFULLY******
As soon as you finish training or competing you need to refuel your energy depleted muscles.
Without reloaded muscles optimal performance is compromised. There is a very important
timing and nutritional window for recovery to take place and more importantly it has become
clear that recovery nutrition is a huge factor in determining if training effect has taken place or
not. This means that if you wait after training to take in nutrients there is lost training effect.
Athletes in these landmark studies that failed to take in any nutrients immediately after training
ended up losing the majority of training effect in muscle and experienced significant degrees of
intra muscular damage, while the group that took in nutrients had huge gains in muscle
strength, Muscle fiber size and actual muscle size (hypertrophy). SO the choice is yours when
your workout is done your training is not done because until you recover from the stress of
training you cannot gain the adaptation in muscle. This is the process we have come up with for
top athletes for recovery nutrition:
Step One: take in 4-6 ounces of a very sweet drink ex. Glucose or Fructose (full strength
Gatorade or Powerade or MinuteMaid Fruit punch… In Europe they are using coca cola.(Corn
Sweetner /Sucrose which gives the largest sugar spike and insulin release) This gives you a quick
sugar high and results in the release of insulin which makes your fuel depleted muscles uptake
glucose from your bloodstream, restarting the refueling process.
Step Two: Take in fast protein. Fast protein is protein in liquid form. It is easier to be utilized
than solid forms of protein like a protein bar. You can use chocolate milk 12-16 ounces or
myoplex protein drink or protein shakes or yogurt. Protein after training has a huge roll in
recovery as well as determining whether training effect will be optimal. When athletes took in
only carbohydrates after training the majority of training effect was lost.
Step Three: Take in 75g of carbohydrates. We are using raisins and fig bars. First they are easy to
keep in your locker or gym bag. They don’t go bad quickly and they are simple to obtain. A small
box of raisins contains 56g of carbs so we go with two handfuls or 2-3 fig bars. Then an
additional minimal 75g of carbs must be consumed within the next hour which would be part of
an actual meal. Much more than 75g should be taken in this meal.
The importance of recovery nutrition is critical in either gaining condition or losing condition, so
remember if you wait to take any nutrients in after training, your workout can all be for nothing.
Don’t waste all that effort because you are not willing to take this important step in helping your
body recover.
What are the practical considerations for recovery eating?
Some athletes finish sessions with a good appetite, so most foods are appealing to eat. On the
other hand, a fatigued athlete may only feel like eating something that is compact and easy to
chew. When snacks need to be kept or eaten at the training venue itself, foods and drinks that
require minimal storage and preparation are useful. At other times, valuable features of
recovery foods include being portable and able to travel interstate or overseas without penalties
from customs officials, being individually packaged and sealed for the benefit of lengthy nights
of drug testing, or being labeled with nutritional information so that the athlete can check how
much they need to consume to meet their recovery goals. Situations and challenges in sport
change from day to day, and between athletes - so recovery snacks need to be carefully chosen
to meet these needs.
The following table provides ideas for snacks providing carbohydrate, as well as carbohydrate-
protein combinations.
Carbohydrate-rich recovery snacks (50g CHO portions)
. 700-800ml sports drink
. 2 sports gels
. 500ml fruit juice or soft drink
. 300ml carbohydrate loader drink
. 60-70g packet jelly beans
. 2 slices toast/bread with jam or honey or banana topping
. 1 large chocolate bar (80g)
. 2 cereal bars
. 1 cup thick vegetable soup + large bread roll
. 115g (1 large or 2 small) American muffins, fruit buns or scones
. 300g rice
. 300g (large) baked potato with filling
. 100g pancakes (2 stack) + 30g syrup
Nutritious carbohydrate-protein recovery snacks (contain 50g CHO + valuable source of
protein and micronutrients)
. 250-300ml liquid meal supplement
. 250-300ml milk shake or fruit smoothie
. 1-2 sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
. 1 large bowl (2 cups) breakfast cereal with milk
. 1 large or 2 small cereal bars + 200g carton fruit-flavored yogurt
. 220g 3 slices of toast
. 1 bread roll with cheese/meat filling + large banana
. 300g (bowl) fruit salad with 200g fruit-flavored yoghurt
. 2 crumpets with thick spread peanut butter + 200ml flavored milk
. 300g (large) baked potato + cheese filling + glass of milk
. 200g (1/3-1/4 pizza) with chicken/meat and vegetables
It is important for athletes to avoid the common restrictive eating patterns prior to
competition, followed by binge eating afterwards. This pattern is detrimental both to athletic
performance and to psychological well being. Athletes who are in tune with their body needs
are much more likely to be successful and enjoy competing to its full potential
I believe that meal replacement drinks such as Gator Pro are valuable adjuncts to an athlete's
diet. They can be beneficial when consumed before a competition because they keep weight
gain to a minimum due to the low stool residue, yet they provide needed calories and fluids.
They are also absorbed more quickly than solids and can be consumed closer to competition.
The athlete must experiment in advance to determine which drinks best suit their individual
needs. High-carbohydrate drinks such as Gator Lode may be more appropriate as a recovery
carbohydrate following exercise, when sometimes appetite is reduced. I do not recommend
other dietary supplements other than a well-balanced multi-vitamin-mineral supplement.
These are suggestions for nutrition that can help you have more energy and be a better
athlete…
Thursday, November 17, 2011
John Underwood
John Underwood is coming to speak in Pinedale November 21st at 7pm in the Pinedale auditorium to all athletes, parents, and coaches. "The president and founder of American Athletic Institute, and former NCAA All-American, International-level distance runner and World Masters Champion, John has coached or advised more than two dozen Olympians including World and Olympic Champions. He holds three International Olympic Solidarity diplomas for coaching and has been a crusader for drug-free sport at all levels." John’s innovative program “PURE PERFORMANCE”, has been used all around the United States.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Fall Wrap Up: Girls Swimming
Sublette County girls swim team took 3rd place at state this year! The team scored 138.5 points at state swimming. Sublette County took 2nd in the 200 freestyle relay, 4th in the 200 yard medley relay, 5th in the 400 freestyle relay. Zero Hour members Haley Gray broke a team record and took 2nd in the 100 breastroke, while an injured Michelle Fenn took 4th in the 100 butterfly.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Season Wrap-Up: Patience Jones and Erin Egle Highlight Successful Season
The Lady Wranglers volleyball team finished up the season after making it to state and tied for 5th place! Erin Egle and Patience Jones both recieved 3A All Conference honors, and Patience Jones also made 3A All State!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
212 BE THE DIFFERENCE
This video is awesome. This is what pure performance is all about. People going the the extra step, doing the little things that make a big difference, working a little harder, eating a little better, resting a little smarter, and reaching their full potential. reaching the extra degree of heat---to power the locomotive.
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